Liquid-level-maintaining device



NOV. 10, 1925- 1,561,159

J. HURST LIQUID LEVEL MAINTAINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1921 2Sheets$heet 1 Nov. '10, 1925 1,561,159

J. HURST LIQUID LEVEL MMNTAINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 f /6/2919. 4 ZcL QfQ Patentecl- Nov. 10,

UNITED STATES 1,561,159 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HURST, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID-LETEL-MAINTAINING DEVICE.

Application filed August 12, 1921. Serial No. 491,711.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HURs'r, a citi zen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful LiquidLevel-MaintainingDevice, of which the following is a specification. 3 f

This invention is a device for controlling the feed of liquid, to achamber in which it is desired to maintain a constant or normal level. i

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for overcomingthe annoyanccs incident to the loss of buoyancy of floats now in commonuse, by providing valve control means, the operation of which isdependent solely upon the loss of weight of an actuator as it becomeswholly or partia-lly, submerged. A further object is to provide afloat-like actuator of approximately the same weight. as that of theliquid which it displaces, and means co-operating therewith foractuating thevalve mechanism.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing.- 7

Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views illustrating a liquidlevel maintaining device constructed in accordance with the invention.Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating a slight modification.

The invention is illustrated in association with a well-known type ofvacuum fuel feed devices for internal combustion engines, which has beenselected for illustrative purposes, but it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the particular structure illustrated anddescribed, but is equally applicable to all devices where a float isused to regulate and maintain liquid at a desired-level, such as liquidfloat devices, carbureters, lavatories and the like. This fact will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionbelongs.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a casing, the lower part ofwhich serves as a reservoir 11, which feeds direct to a carbureter orthe like (not shown), through a discharge pipe 12. A pet cock 13 isprovided for drawing off water or sediment, or

it may be used to draw off gasoline for priming Or cleaning purposes, ina manner which is well understood in the art.

Suspended from the cover C of 10, and depending into the latter, is afloat chamber 14, which is provided'with an outlet pipe 15 discharginginto the reservoir 11, the flow into said reservoir being controlled bya'flapper valve 16.

Liquid is supplied to the float chamber 14, from any desired source,through an opening in cover 0, connected with a pipe 17. Located withinthe chamber 14 is a semi-buoyant actuator 18, which is provided with aguiding stem 19, leading down into the outlet pipe 15. Said stem extendsthrough the actuator and is provided with an upwardly projecting end 20,which is pivotally connected to a lever 21, which in turn is pivotallysupported at 22, from a depending portion 23 of the cover C. The airwithin the float chamber 14 is exhausted through an opening 24 in thecover 0, which may lead direct to the manifold of the engine. It mayalso be connected to a suitable pump (not shown), on the dash of theautomobile, in a manner well-understood in the art. The float chamber isvented through an opening 25 in cover C, which leads to a vent pipe 26,and the casing 10 is also vented through an. opening 27 leading to thepipe 26.

The suction opening 24 and vent opening 25 are controlled by valves 28and 29, respectively, carried by a lever 30, pivotally supported by adepending arm 31, of the cover 0. A second lever 32 is pivoted to theextension 31 at the same point of connection as the lever 30, and thefree ends of said levers are connected by a spring 33, so as to providefor a quick movement of said levers when their ends have passed the deadcenter. To the free end of the lever 32 is connected one end of acontrol spring 34, the other end of which is secured to the cover C.

In practice, the actuator 18 is so construct ed as to be as near aspossible, of the same density or specific gravity as that of the liquidit is to operate in. In other words, it practically has no buoyancy withrespect to said liquid. The closer the weight of the actuator to that ofthe liquid it displaces, the greater the amount of power or pressurethat is available for operating the valve mechanism. Experiment hasdemonstrated that an actuator designed tooperate in gasothe casing lineor the like, should be made of oak wood, because its density is veryclose to the specific gravity of the gasoline, and it is the cheapestwood obtainable having this quality. The operation of the device is notimpaired by the actuator becoming waterlogged.

In operation, assuming that the float chamber and the levers 3Q and 32are. in.

positions shown in Figure 2, withactuator in its lowermost position, thevalve 28 will be open and the vent valve 29 will beclosed. Thus, thevacuum apparatus will function to draw liquid into the float chamberthrough th supply. pipe 17. As the liquid level rises within the chamber14: the actuatorl8 becomes submerged and exerts no pressure uponthelever 21, and offer no resistance to its movement. In other words,said lever is relieved of the weight. of the actuator as the latterbecomes wholly or partially submerged, the starting of which allows thespring 34 to start operating. As the liquid level rises, the spring 34gradually draws upon the lever 32,until the actuator reaches its.highest position and the free ends of said lever pass the dead center,whereupon the spring 33. actuates the lever 30 so as to, shut thesuction valve 28- and open "the. vent valve 29, as shown in Figure 1,whereby the float chamber will empty into the reservoir 11. As soon asthe liquid levellstartsto lower, the weight of the actuator 18, isexerted upon the lever 21, drawing down the end of lever 32, andtensioning the spring 34. This downward movement continues until thelever 32 passes the dead center, whereupon valves 28 and 29 are operatedto close the vent and open the suction, as shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoin ,'it will be readily understood that the floatingpower or buoy ancy of the actuator 18 is notutiliz'ed in any way tooperate the valves 28 and 29, because an actuator constructed asdescribed, would upon the slightest downward pressure sink into theliquid. The spring 34 perfo 'ms its function only upon the loss of theweight of the actuator when it becomes submerged.

In Figures 3 and at a slight modification is illustrated,.inwhich inlieu of the spring 34;, a spring is employed, which'encirc les the stem19, and is compressed between an abutment member 36 located in thechamber 14, and an abutment surface 37 of the actuator. It is preferredto provide the actuator with a bore 38, to afford clearance for thespringx35, so that the actuator will not interfere with the functions ofsaid spring.

readily apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be particularlyobserved. that by utihzingthe spring 3a or 35, as the casemay ter howcarefully manufactured is liable to haveminute leaks, undiscoverable toordinary and usualinspection, or to develop leaks due tothe corrosiveeffect of the liquid. If

itisfinade solidwand. dependence is placed upon the buoyancy thereof, itwill eventually become waterlogged or so saturated with the liquid inwhichit is. operatechthat it becomes inoperative because of the addedweight and thelack of buoyancy necessary to furnish-the proper pressureto operate the mechanism, In the. present invention it is not essentialfor. the actuatorto have buoy-f ancyu" Nor is it necessary to treat itwith any substance to prevent 1t.from..becommg water-logged or.saturated. Regardless of. its

condition .itwill always weigh less. when. it becomes submerged in theliquid, and this difference in weight will aways. be sufiicienttoallow.thespringto operate: The down ward movement in thrs device. isalso more positivethan in others designed for similar purposes, becausethe weight of the actua: tor is much heavier than'is generally used.

Thus the valve mechanism is. positively .ac-

tuated under allcon-ditions.

Having thus: explainedthe natureof the invention and described anoperative manner of constructing andusing the same, although withoutattempting to set forth all of. the forms inwhich it maybe made, or allof the forms of its use, what is claimed i. z-

1. A liquid level maintaining device com.- prislnga. float-chamber, anactuator of approximately the same weight asthe liquid:

to be delivered to said chamber, said actuator being, positioned to bepartially or whollysubmerged in said liquid, valve mechanismconnectedwto. said actuator and.

con-trolling the supply ofli'quid entering the chamber, andcounter-balancing.means within the chamber and connected with the. valvemechanism whereby operation. of said valve mechanism is governed by the.effective weight of. the actuator.

2. A liquid, level maintaining device of the character describedcomprising a liquid receiving chamber, .valve mechanism 'con- 1 atrolling the supply of liquid entering said The advantages of theinvention w1ll be chamber, an actuator of. approximately the same weightas the. liquid tobe, supplied to said chamber,'sai'd actuator beingpositioned 'to be partially or wholly submergedinsaid liquid andconnected to the valve mechanism, whereby its weight will actuate'saidmechanism in one direction, and counterbalancing means connected to thevalve mechanism independently of the actuator, whereby the valvemechanism will be operated in the other direction when the weight of theactuator is neutralized by submergence within said liquid.

8* A liquid level maintaining devi e comprising a float chamber, anactuator of approximately the same weight as that of the liquid in saidchamber, said actuator being positioned to be partially or whollysubmerged in said liquid, a valve mechanism connected with the actuator,whereby said mechanism will be operated in one direction by the weightof the actuator when said chamber is emptied, and a spring within thechamber connected with said valve mechanism for actuating said valvemechanism in the other direction when the liquid in said chamber reachesthe maximum line.

a. A liquid level maintaining device com prising a liquid receivingchamber, an actuator of approximately the same specific gravity as thatof the liquid in said chamber, said actuator being positioned to bepartially or wholly submerged in said liquid, valve mechanism, a leverwithin said chamber -lfor actuating said valve mechanism, connectionsbetween said actuator and said lever, whereby the valve mechanism willbe actuated in one direction by the weight of the actuator when thechamber is empty, and a spring also Within the chamher and connectedwith said lever independently of said actuator for actuating the valvemechanism in the other direction as the chamber is filled with liquid.

5. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a liquid receivingchamber, an actuator having a degree of buoyancy which will cause it topartially or wholly submerge itself within the liquid in said chamber,valve mechanism controlling the flow of liquid to said chamber, meanswhereby the weight of the actuator will operate the valve mechanism inone direction when the chamber is emptied, and means connected to thevalve mechanism independently of the actuator to operate the valvemechanism in the other direction when the weight of the actuator isneutralized by being submerged in liquid entering said chamber.

6. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing provided with alower reservoir, a float chamber within said casing connected with asource of liquid supply and having a discharge pipe delivering into saidreservoir, an actuator of a gravity which will cause it to partially orwholly submerge within the liquid in said float chamber, valve mechanismcontrolling the supply of liquid to and delivery from said floatchamber, means within the chamber whereby the valve mechanism isoperated in one direction by the weight of the actuator when the floatchamber is emptied, and means connectedto the valve mechanismindependently of the actuator to operate said mechanism in the otherdirection when the actuator is submerged in liquid within said floatchamber.

7. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing capable ofcontaining a liquid, valve mechanism therein, an actuator connected tothe valve mechanism, said actuator and said liquid being ofsubstantially the same specific gravity, and means connected to thevalve mechanism independently of the actuator to operate said valvemechanism when the actuator is submerged.

8. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing capable ofcontaining a liquid valve mechanism therein, an actuator connected tosaid valve mechanism, said actuator and said liquid being ofsubstantially the same specific gravity, and a spring connected to thevalve mechanism indepen dently of the actuator to operate said valvemechanism when the actuator is submerged.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES HURST.

